The View From The Valley. By: C.C.

“One sees great things from the valley, only small things from the peak.” (G.K. Chesterton)

      Love the Lord with all of your heart, serve Him by serving one another, and strive to attain purity of heart so that you may one day be in full union with Him sharing Eternal life. This should be the goal of our lives. 

   The idea that this should occur without moments of desolation is dangerous. It is to be immersed into a false sense of reality that avoids the very concept of what the spiritual life and what following Christ is truly about. There is no promise from our Lord declaring that our journey here will be filled with roses and euphoric moments. We are blessed at times to receive loving and divine consolation, but it is wrong to assume and expect Eternal glory to be with us just because we lead lives of faith.

  In looking at the lives of our Biblical ancestors and our Beloved Saints we begin to understand that those who were truly holy were also those most constantly afflicted. Through their witness we come to understand that it is important to praise God from the peak of our mountains in life, and to also praise Him from the valley. It can be argued that in the valley is where we should praise Him even more. These "low" moments of desolation and affliction allow us to humble ourselves before God and affirm for us that we are not in control. We are all at the mercy of our Lord. When we recognize that we are not at the mercy of a condemning Father, but an all loving and faithful God these moments and their purpose in our lives can become more clear to us.

   "One sees great things from the valley"..these moments provide us with the clarity to see where our hearts are in need of the most purification. We are called to constantly humble ourselves and reignite our desire to follow in the footsteps of the faithful. We are called by love to grow in love and a deeper union with Christ. This does not come without great faith, humility, service, and sacrifice.

   May we continue to grow in trust each day, understanding that our Lord will lead us into the valley so that we may be taken to a peak far beyond our own understanding and expectation. Let us strive to praise Him in all things, in all ways, and in every circumstance. "Jesus I trust in You." (C.C.) 

   

"Divine Comedy":God's Sense of Humor & A Talk From Cardinal Collins. By:C.C.

     

    I am taking a break tonight from sharing the "usual" reflective writings in order to share an event with you that occurred this evening. The Divine Author was truly at work composing a story that I could not script myself and one that brings so much joy, laughter, and a smile to my face ( as well as those I shared it with in my state of embarrassment!) 

    It is a simple and jovial story that presents a profound truth about how the "New Evangelization"  is deeply rooted in the almighty power of our Lord and Holy Spirit. It is most effective through our humility, faith, and surrender. Often in seeking to evangelize we miss the ways in which God is truly at work already within us. Tonight was one those nights. 

   It all began when I became aware that Cardinal Collins would be speaking at a "Theology on Tap" event in Toronto (at The Duke of York). I was made aware of this event rather late and sent an email in haste to the organizers of the event, and was put in contact with a wonderful young lady from "Faith Connections" named Vanessa. 

   Vanessa sadly informed me that the event was full to capacity and that I would not be able to attend. I assumed it to be God's will, casually resigning myself to potentially complete some marking for my students. Early in the evening I received word again from Vanessa saying that they had cancellations and I would be able to attend. I made my way into the city and was hoping to arrive by the 7pm start time. I was aware that there was already a registered guest list and that I was to simply walk in and look for Vanessa when I arrived. I got to the door of "The Duke of York" and asked where the "talk" was. Had I known there were two different speaking engagements at this point I would have been more specific! 

   None the less I was guided upstairs to "the talk" , I entered the door greeted by a young lady with a list of names in front of her. I told her my situation, and she said come on in! I walked around alone there were camera's everywhere, specifically that of CBC. 

   It was now past 7pm and no sign of Cardinal Collins and I also found it quite strange that the room was full of  mixed ages when it was supposed to be a 19-39 aged event! You would think at this point that I would realize I was in the wrong place...NOPE! 

     A man, who appeared to be an organizer of the event then approached me and said  "you do not need to walk around by yourself why don't you share a booth with these young ladies." I sat down at this very booth with two ladies in their early twenties. We shook hands and began small talk, well, I actually began to talk and asked them what they did, to which they replied they go to the R.O.M. for some science media communications program. I found it an interesting correlation for them to be attending a talk on New Evangelization, but hey, who am I to judge?

   Still, unaware that I was in the wrong place, I began sharing openly about how important sharing  "our faith" is and being witnesses in the world. I spoke of my blog, and my interest in chastity speaking/education, and the importance of aiding to clear ignorance that is often presented to us. I talked about the interfaith dialogues in my public school setting, and of my encounters with atheists etc.  These two girls did not interrupt me or motion to leave in discomfort. In fact, one of them asked me numerous questions and kept saying "this is very interesting"! I shared about our Blessed Mother and the Saints explaining how mistakenly "we" as Catholics are accused of worshiping "other god's"  when it is veneration and not worship! These two young ladies listened intently, I assumed them to be among my Catholic sisters. In fact, I do not even know if they were, or are, or once have been. I told them the importance of prayer as a foundation to any evangelization that we even think of accomplishing. And that it is the Holy Spirit that guides us...

  Then a voice came on the microphone interrupting our conversation (or actually, my one sided babble) and the lady welcomed everyone to "the Modern Science..something" talk! I was startled..and found this to be an interesting way of beginning an introduction for our Cardinal! My mouth dropped and I looked at these young ladies across from me and said.."Um is this the Catholic Theology on Tap talk" They looked and me and said "No, but, I believe there is another talk downstairs!" 

   At this point I was lost for words and apologized to them, explaining that I thought they were there for the same talk! Then again, I quickly realized while running straight down the stairs that I had nothing to apologize for, but rather, rejoice in. God allowed me to share the faith so candidly without intent, without any preparation, or "mission" in mind. He allowed this temporary ignorance so that the faith could be shared with these two young women. 

     I entered the packed room in the basement of the Duke of York, shared what just happened quietly with Lisa from "Faith Connections" who was standing at the door... briefly trying to explain myself.     I then stood and listened to our very own Cardinal Collins with a huge smile on my face for what had just occurred (despite being half an hour late). 

   As I listened to Cardinal Collins speak about the New Evangelization, I was deeply moved, recognizing that the "New Evangelization" is truly within the hands of our Lord. It was He who equipped the Apostles and it is He who will equip us. May we all remain open in surrender, allowing Him to work, and even surprise us from time to time. This was truly a taste of "Divine Comedy" (C.C.)

Prayerful Through Persecution. By: C.C.

"Many people [in authority] oppose us, persecute us, and would like even to destroy us, but we must be patient. As long as their commands are not against our conscience, let us obey them, but when the case is otherwise, let us uphold the rights of God and of the Church, for those are superior to all earthly authority." (Don Bosco)

     In facing opposition we come to a deeper understanding of what we truly stand for. Simultaneously we are presented with an awareness of our own convictions. It is this same reality that arouses within us great responsibility. It calls us to awaken and examine our consciences. 

   If we seek to uphold the rights of God and of the Church then we must first seek to uphold ourselves in faith, humility, and love for which we are called. We must first humbly examine ourselves in order to realize that often the values and truth that we long to defend is rarely reflected by our lives.

   In this way persecution and opposition can call us to a fullness of our faith. It can lead us to search for a deeper union with God . It serves as a reminder of how far we have flown from our Lord, and from the values that we should be exuding if we consider ourselves faithful followers of Christ and of The Holy Catholic Church. 

   Prior to our reacting we must find ourselves in personal reflection. Let us examine our consciences, peering through the windows of our own soul before we chase down external injustice. 

   If we truly long for the peace of God to surround us, then we must first build His peace within. Our Lord has promised "to set us free from the hands of our enemies, free to worship him without fear, holy and righteous in his sight all the days of our life." (Canticle of Zechariah) If we believe His words and in the oath that He has made, then the way in which we uphold the rights of God and of the Church stems from a place of faith and love. It should reflect the Gospel. 

  When faced with opposition and persecution let us recall the promises of our Lord and most importantly let us renew our promise to follow Him faithfully each day; upholding by our lives the rights of God and of the Church. We can not claim to be for God if we do not spend time with Him in prayer, we can not defend that which we do not know, and we can not claim injustice if we do not live by truth. Let us remain in fervent prayer, reminding ourselves that the Church is held together by Divine Hands and that we do not work alone.  (C.C.)   

Father We Need You: For Our Priests. By: C.C.

"No one is more relevant today than a priest who understands his role as the servant of the Word; as one who can give us God under the form of bread and wine." (Catherine Doherty)

   Father, thank you. Thank you to all of you priests who have said yes to The Lord. Those of you who have espoused the Church with reverence, humility, and the deep desire to care for your flock.    Thank you for the hours in hospitals beside our dying relatives. Thank you for the presence at the most joyful times of our lives; from the wedding day celebrations to the Sacraments of our children. You have been so persecuted, it is you because you aid in bringing us the Body and Blood of Christ.

      Do not relent in your walk because we are most in need of you. We are most in need of you to live the faith with conviction and love. We need you to never forget the immensity of your role in the Church. We need you to remember Who it is you serve. As you lead others to The Lord never forget your impact. In times that you may doubt, turn most fervently to our Lord and our Lady in order to obtain all that you need. The reality of your humanity and brokenness only serves to show us the immense power of God. Your human hands serving us the Divine Gift at every Mass presents to us the mystery of God's love.

    You may never know on earth what you are storing in Heaven. You may never see the tears of comfort shed by the faithful after the words spoken from grace in your confessionals. You may never know the immensity of how you show us Christ, or the way in which your homilies, your kindness, and your joy has soothed us.  You may never know the amount of prayers offered for you and your vocation. You do not know this so that you will remain humble. You are often deprived of such affirmation so that you will throw yourselves time and time again to the foot of the Cross, and into the heart of Our Blessed Mother; finding in this more than what speech and words of thanks could ever offer you. It is in this way that you will best serve the Church, by drawing near to the Lord in all things, in all times, despite the difficulties faced.

   It is important that you also support one another. We call you Father, but to one another you are brothers. You are brothers who have responded to the same call, to serve the same God through the one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. Regardless of religious order, spiritual preferences, and ethnic backgrounds you are one as the Church is one. You should seek always to serve the Universal Church upholding doctrine, discipline, dogma, and one another. 
   You are called to pray for one another, to forgive one another, and help each other. Pray fervently for your fallen brothers that they may be strengthened in moments of disbelief and weakness. And pray for us. Pray for the laity that strive to serve the Church by praying for you and your vocation. Pray for the fallen. It is your witness that encourages our strength to live lives of purity, chastity, of obedience, and of sacrifice. It is you who shows us Christ. It is through your surrendered, humble, and ordained hands that we can feast upon the Body and Blood of Christ. We need you. (C.C.)  

      

    

     

"Home Sweet Home" By: C.C.

"Your home is in Heaven. All things of this world are transitory and passing. Do not cling to them lest you wish to perish with them" (Thomas a Kempis)

   If Heaven is truly home then how does one make sense of their lives away from "home" and caught up in the daily dealings of the world? How do we truly come to understand the purpose and importance of our humanity immersed within a transitory and passing reality? 

   These questions can only be answered by He who is steadfast and constant. It is through faith to our Lord that one begins to have partial understanding of what this passing journey means for God's beloved. It is in this drawing nearer to our Lord that we may begin to recognize the purpose of living each present moment with the conviction that we are made for something far beyond the tangible things of this world. 

  By turning to our Creator while immersed in His creation we can begin to live our lives with proper balance and the most genuine purpose. We can begin to experience a sense of freedom from all things tangible and "hope for things unseen".

  It is important to detach from all things in order that we may fasten ourselves so tightly to God. In this way we immerse ourselves in the world as He truly wills for us. As we strive for a deeper union with God we recognize that all matters we partake in are not part of us, and that we are not truly part of them. Rather, our presence to the things of this world becomes a means for answering the call to glorify God. We are to be fully hidden and attached to Christ in order to be most fully present in our world, living with the joy and fruits of He who does not perish.(C.C.) 

Humble Before God. By: C.C.

"The more a soul lowers itself in prayer, the more God rises." (St. Teresa of Avila)

      Throughout Scripture there are many reminders of the need for followers of Christ to be "childlike". We are called to be humble and simple as to better serve our Lord. This is not always an easy task for us as we are often approaching God in constant motion; in tireless action of pursuit. 

  We are accustomed to acting and pursuing. We are surrounded by daily deadlines and lists of things to "accomplish". We may find ourselves accustomed to working for the tangible goals and merits of our works, which serve as the motivating factors of our pursuit. We have acquired a sense of action and expectation of merit for our tasks by the very nature of our worldly ambitions. We may come to believe that the harder one works the more merited and successful they become. The higher we climb the more we gain.

   The incompatibility of this mindset within the spiritual life is undeniable. In order to attain the most merit of complete union with God we are called to pursue the nothingness of ourselves; we are called to relinquish expectation of merit by becoming humble obedient servants of God's will. 

   Only the humble will be able to see the Lord at work. We can not see "God rise" if we have set ourselves above Him. If we fail to lower ourselves in prayer and dismiss our need for God to take control, we do not allow Him the opportunity to work in our lives. We prevent ourselves from receiving the graces and fruits that our Lord yearns for us to have. We must not pursue but allow ourselves to be pursued by God. Let us all strive to lower ourselves daily in prayer and approach Him always with a humble and open heart. (C.C) 

     

   

Called Out Of The World. By: C.C.

"...You do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world." (John 15:19)

    This verse can bring comfort and simultaneously a sense of isolation and loneliness if we are not rooted in the understanding of what being a follower of Christ entails within the world. The comfort that this verse provides is best felt by those of faith who recognize the need for constantly focusing on the Eternal in order to make better sense of our worldly circumstances.

   Criticism often arises within our secular society in regards to Christian morality and way of life. In response to this, many of us can be filled with the temptation to retreat away from the worldly challenges and oppositions out of fear. This sense of fear, of which God does not will His children to have prevents the faithful from glorifying God, and also from living in the peace that our Lord wills us to experience while on earth. Fear also prevents us from sharing His message of love.

   Though we do not belong to the world, we are called within it to be present, to be a witness of faith, and a testament of the joy that only God can bring. If we dismiss the challenges, if we keep silent about things that are unjust, if we judge our peers in self-righteousness, then we lose the purpose for our being here. We must meet these challenges with prayer.  

  "You do not belong to the world".. and yet, you are chosen out of the world in order to live within it for the glory of God. In the moments that isolation and loneliness surface within our lives may we draw nearer to our Lord in prayer, trusting that He will truly "unite his children scattered throughout the world", in order for us to live united striving together for the good of His Eternal Kingdom. 

St. Michael Pray for us!

Holy Mary Mother of God, Pray for us!!

Amen. (C.C)